Egidius de Francia

Egidius de Francia (fl. mid-14th century; also Egidius de Murino or Magister Frater Egidius) was a French music theorist of medieval music,[1] known for the short treatise De motettis componendis.[2] He possibly was an Augustinian friar, as in a miniature illumination he is titled Magister Egidius Augustinus. Along with "Guilelmus de Francia", he was probably a friar at the Monastery of Santo Spirito in Florence.[3]

Egidius de Murino is, with Philippus de Caserta, one possible author of the Tractatus figurarum, a practical guide to the notation of ars subtilior.[4][5] Egidius was also the author of De modo componendi, a theoretical guide to motet writing.[6]

He is featured in the Squarcialupi Codex, the British Library manuscript Add MS 29987 and the Modena Codex (often known with the sigla ModA).[7]

He is considered as likely being distinct from another Egidius, who was a contemporary Italian poet. No composition can be certainly attributed to him, although he is potentially identifiable with another Egidius, a composer found in the Chantilly Codex.[2][8]

It is not certain if there is any relation to Egidius de Aurelia (Egidius of Orleans), composer of "Alma Polis" and "Axe poli cum artica".

  1. ^ Viola Luther Hagopian - Italian ars nova music: a bibliographic guide to modern editions 1973 - Page 84 "16. EGIDIO DI FRANCIA (DE MURINO; MAGISTER FRATER EGIDIUS; EGIDIUS DE AURELIANIS), fourteenth century; II; Augustinian friar at Santo Spirito; Sq, Pit; 5 [?] works, transcribed. "M. Frater Egidius et Guilelmus de Francia" (Sq).
  2. ^ a b Reaney, Gilbert (2001). "Egidius [Aegidius] de Murino". Grove Music Online. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.08612. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 26 November 2020. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  3. ^ Italia in Francia - Francia in Italia: Avignone e Napoli nel '300 Marianne Pade, Hannemarie Ragn Jensen, Lene Waage Petersen - 1997 "... Codex and compositions, some with French, others with Italian texts, occur in several manuscripts attributed to "Egidius de Francia"and "Guilelmus de Francia", who were presumably friars in the Monastery of Santo Spirito in Florence."
  4. ^ Allegorical Play in the Old French Motet Page 201 Sylvia Huot 1997 "The fourteenth-century theorist Egidius de Murino stipulates that the process of composing a motet must begin with the ... Egidius de Murino states that the tenor should be taken from a portion of the chant that is textually relevant to ..."
  5. ^ Tractatus figurarum: - Pages 3,7 Philip Evan Schreur - 1989 "... against Egidius de Murino's authorship is given by his name: it is improbable that the author of the Tractatus ..."
  6. ^ Tractatus figurarum: - Page 6 Philip Evan Schreur - 1989
  7. ^ Writing rhythm in late medieval Italy: notation and musical style Anne Stone - 1994 "The following composers are named with their religious affiliations in Mod A: Magister Egidius, ordinis heremittarum sancti agustini"
  8. ^ Garber, Benjamin. "Egidius de Murino", from Medieval France: An Encyclopedia. William Kibler, ed. Garland 1995. p.316.